Internal-combustion engine.



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W rn W Patnted 00t.13,1908.

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CLAY. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED M11127, 1906.

901,278. Patented 0ct.13,-1903,. V 5 SHEETS-SEEP: 2.

J. CLAY. v INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1905.

901,278, Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

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J. CLAY. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. f APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1905.

901,278. Patented Oct. 13,1908.

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J. CLAY. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1905.

901,278. Patented Oct. 13,1908.

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Zd'neass i m TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CLAY, OF ROCK FERRY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE EMPIRE OIL ENGINESYNDICATE LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed March 27, 1905. Serial No. 252,395.

To all whom it may concern:

of the King of England, residing at 64: Mer- 'sey road, Rock Ferr in thecounty of Chester, England, have invented new and useful Improvements inInternal-Combustion En 7 gines, of which the following is .aspecification.

This invention has reference to internal combustion engines, and hasprimarily for its object and effect, among others, to provide an enginewhich is self-starting, reversible, and controllable, both as to thedegree of energy or power of. the combustible fluid introduced, and thegeneral maneuvering characteristics, as well as being simple in itsconstruction, and mode of operating the parts.

The enginewill be describedin connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Figure l is a side elevation partly in section; Fig. 2 is afront view; and Fig. 3 is a plan; the engine being a three-cylinder one,with cranks at about 120 from one another; but each cylinder and theparts connected with it, constitutes practically a separate engine, allbeing identical: and each cylinder is adapted to give a propelling oreffective 4 working stroke at each end, each revolution.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation; and Fig. 5 is a side view of thereversing valve and mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of'the mixturevalve operating gear. Fig. (5 is a sectional detail of the connectionbetween lever 36 and arms 40. Fig. 7 is a plan of the parts shown inFig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a plan of the air valve operating gear.

The engine hereafter described is constructed and ada ted to use, as itscombustible working fiui air and atomized or vaporized oil; but it is inpart applicable in cases where the fuel is gas and air.

In the engine illustrated, according to this invention, each cylinder 1has connected with it, two lift valves 2, one at the top, and the otherat the bottom, the casings 3 of which communicate by ports l with thetwo ends of the cylinders on the opposite'sides of the piston 5; whileat the centerof the cylinder, there is an annular exhaust port 6,communicating with it by a number of openings in the cylinder wall, andthrough which, the exhaust of the gases at the ends of the strokes ofthe piston takes place ineach direction. That is, the exhaust port 6 iscommon to both ends of the cylinder, and the piston uncovers and closesit, alternately, at the opposite ends of its strokes, in the well knownway.

In connection with each cylinder, there is a valve casing I, with avalve 8 working in it, and communicating at its two ends with the valve.casingsB below the valves 2, by ports 9. This valve is for controllingthe distribution of air supplied to the cylinder by'an air pump, ashereinafter described. There is also connected to the cylinder, a casing10 similar to 7, having within it a valve 11, and communicating at eachend with the valve casings 3 below the valves, by ports or branches 12.This valve is for controlling the flow of combustible mixture to theopposite ends of the cylinder as hereinafter described, such mixturebeing sup plied by a force pump. I

The air is adapted to be supplied to the opposite ends of the cylinderby the valve 8, it being fdrced, at low pressure, say lbs, by its pump,when the exhaust port 6 is uncovered by the piston 5: and this airserves to force or sweep out the products of combustion remaining in thecylinder after the ports 6 are first opened by the piston, and then toconstitute a body of free air in the cylinder. next the piston, duringthe compressing or return stroke of the piston, and the followingoutward effective or propelling stroke. In its flow, the air, and thecomliiistible mixture, uplift the spring-held valve 2, which actsas 5non-return valve to both, and cuts off communication between theinterior of the cylinder, and the valve ports 9 and 12.

With regard to the combustible mixture, this is supplied by its pump,and is adapted to be admitted by its valveat a point when the piston 5is about ahalt or three-fourths of its compressing or inward stroke, themixtnre'being forced in under a forceof about 5 lbs. The combustiblemixture will therefore lie -more or less as a lamina, at the end of thecylinder, and the air will lie as a body, isolating the mixture fromthe, piston, and when the charge is compressed, the mixture is tired byelectric or other ignition, at the end or the cylinder.

With regard to the pumps for the air and mixture respectively, 15represents the air pump cylinder, 16 its piston, 17 the valve casing,and 18 the distribution valve therein;

and the air in this pump is forced up into the cylinder valve casing 7through the pipe- 19, which connects the pump valve casing, and thevalve casing 7 together.

The combustible mixture or fuel. pump cylinder is'similar inconstruction. to that of the air and mixture pump already described, andis designated 20, and has a piston similar to 16. 1

22 is the distribution valve casing, having a distributing valve thereinsimilar to 18. This valve casing 22, and the cylinder .valve casing 10at the center, are connected together by the supply pipe 24; the supplypipe to the valve casing 22 from the mixture service, being by a pipe 26on one end of the casing 22, the mixture being supplied to the oppositeends of the casing 22 through the valve itself, which is hollow.

A spring-pressed relief valve 27 is pro vid ed on the supply pipe 24, bywhich, when pressure in the mixture pump exceeds that required, say lbs.to lbs., and the cylinder valve portsare closed, escapes back by way ofthe by-pass branch 28 into the inlet or suction pipe 26. The pistons ofthese air and mixture pumps are worked from the cross-head pin 30, ofthe piston rod 31,

by connecting rods 32 and '33, respectively.

\Vith regard to the regulation of the charge of combustible mixturesupplied to the cylinder, this is effected by giving the mixture valve11 a variable stroke, so as to cause the ports leading from the valvecasings 10.to the cylinder to be opened a lesser or greater extent. Thevalves 11 and 8 are operated from similar mechanisms, driven from theends of the projecting parts 30 of the crosshead pin or rod, which worksthe pump connecting rods 32 and 33, and the two ends of the projections30, operate by connecting rods 35, levers 36, 37, connected with themixture valve and air valve spindles 38 and 39, respectively. The lever36 is held, that is, suspended by the arms 40, carried from a bracket41, fixed on the columns of the engine; the lower end .of such armsgrasping trunnions 42 on blocks 43, which embrace and support the leverbars 36. The outer ends of these lever bars are" connected to the valvespindles 38 and 39 by links,44.

The position of the blocks 43 on the levers 36, and the degree ofmovement which will be imparted to the valve 11 this valve gear, isgoverned by the position of the blocks 43', which are moved nearer toand further from the valve connecting links 44, by swinging thesuspension arms 40 about their fulcrum in the bracket 41, by anysuitable, hand operated" lever or device-not shown, the levers 36 beingkept in the same position in the horizontal plane by the link 46, whichis connected at one end to the levers 36, and at the other to the rod45. v

' Withregard to the air valve-operatinglevers 37, these are preventedfrom moving in the horizontal direction, by the link 48, connected atone end to the shaft 45, and grasping a pin 49 at the other, whichpasses through the levers 37; this pin being also grasped by suspenderrods 50, carried froma bracket 51 on the en ine front columns. Thus, bymerely adjusting the position of the blocks 43, the amount of opening ofthe mixture controlling and distributing valve can be'varied, and thequantity of mixture admitted'to the cylinder,-and the consequentpressure and power due to combustion of the mixture varied.The'movement.of the air valve will be constant.

The reversing of the engine is effected by a valve placed on the side ofthe cylinder, and connected with the cylinder above and below thepiston, and also with the exhaust belt 6 of same. This valve is workedby a Stevenson eccentric and link motion, the link being operated, thatis, thrown over in one direction or the other, or held in the center, bysuitable hand operating lever and means on the shaft 45, which will berocked axially in its bearings. This valvular arrangement (see Figs. 4and 5), comprises a case 55, having a port 56 at the top and bot,- tom,connected with the interior of the cylinder above and below'the piston;and a port 57 connected with the exhaust port 6; and the valve itselfconsists of a piston 58 at each end on a tube 59, and working inconnection with the ports 56. Compressed air .or other gas is led to thecasing 55 by the pipe 60. Normally, when the engine is running, the link61 will be moved to the central position, and the pistons 58 will coverthe ports 56; and the valve will receive no motion from its eccentrics.

To reverse the engine, the valve operating gear of the mixer valves 11is operated, so that these valves will not open their ports, and nomixture will be supplied to the cylinders; andthen the links 61 of thereversing valves are thrown over to one end or the other, accordinglyasit is necessary to operate the valves, to cause the engine to run in thedirection required; and this will put one end of the cylinder, by theport 56, in communication with the exhaust port 57, while the other endwill be put in communication with an air reservoir containing air underpressure, as shown in the drawings, and air may then pass by the pipe 60from this reservoir into the other end of the cylinder, and will pressthe piston towards the end of the cylinder which has been exhausted.

The piston valves 58 thus act as simple re versing distribution valves;When the engine has started, then the links 61 can be thrown to thecenter, or neutral position. again, and the gear of the mixer valves 11can be set to open these valves, and again 13 course, suitable igniterdevices will be used at the required points in the cylinder to ignitethe charge; and have means connected with them for throwing them in andout. of

action, as'and when required.

If desired, instead of air being used to start the engine, combustiblemixture under pressure may be stored in a reservoir, and be suppliedsimilarly to the air, as just described: in which case, of course, whensuch mixture is supplied by the engine and compressed, it will be firedsimilarly as when the engine is running normally, after being started.In either case, the reservoir, whether air or mixture be used,"will becharged by a suitable pump.

The engine illustrated is a double acting one, employing combustiblemixture on each side of the piston. and firing such mixture at eachoutward stroke of same from each end; but it will be plain, that if itbe required that combustion at one end only of the cylinders beemployed, the engine will work and be operated similarly as abovedescribed, with the exception that the various valves, or portions ofthe valves, used in connection with the end of the cylinders notrequired in that case, will be dispensed with.

llhat/is claimed is 1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, apiston working therein,-a mechanically operated valve for regulating andadmitting combustible mixture to the cylinder, at fluid pressurereservoir, a separate reversing valve, communicating with the cylinderand the'sai'd reservoir by passages, and adapted to act as a combinedinlet and exhaust valve, a link and double eccentric motion foroperating said valve,

variable throw lever mechanism connected with the combustible mixturesupply controlling valve for varying the stroke of the of air to thecylinder, and an air pump 15- for supplying air to the cylinder, thedistribution and flow of which is controlled by said valve '8.

In an internal combustion engine, the combination of cylinder 1; apiston 5; said cylinder having fluid inlet conduits at the ends thereof,and an exhaust port 6 at the center thereof; an automatic non-returnvalve 2 in each inlet conduit; a valve chest 3 below the valve 2; a,valve 8 for controlling and distributing the supply of air; avalvecasing 7 pipes 9 communicating between the valve casing 7 and thevalve casing 3; a valve 11 for regulating and controlling the supply ofcombustible fluid; a casing 10 in which the valve 11 works; and pipes 12communicating between the valve casing 10 and the valvecasings 3 at eachend; substantially as set forth.

4., In an internal combustion engine, the combination of cylinder 1, apiston 5; said cylinder having fluid inlet conduits at the ends thereof,and an exhaust port 6 at the center thereof; an automatic non-returnvalve 2 in each of the ports 4; a valve chest 3 below the valves 2; avalve 8 for controlling and distributing the supply of air; a valvecasing 7; pipes 9 communicating between the valve casing 7 and the valvecasing 3; a valve 11 for regulating and controlling the supply ofcombustible fluid; a casing 10 in which the valve 11 works; pipes 12communicating betweenthe valve cas-' ing 10 and the'valve casings 3; anair pump 15 operated from the engine; aconduit 19 connecting the airpump delivery with the valve easing 7; a combustible mixture pump 20operated by the'engine; and a conduit Qet connecting the combustion pumpdelivery with the valve casing 10; substantially as set forth.

'5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of cylinder 1, apiston 5; said cylinder having fluid inlet conduits at the ends thereof,and an exhaust port 6 at the center thereof; an automatic non-returnvalve 2 in each of the ports 4; a valve chest 3 below the valve 2; avalve 8 for controlling and distributing the supply of air; a valvecasing 7; pipes 9 communicating between the valve casing 7 and the valvecasing 3; a valve 11 for regulating and controlling the supply ofcombustible fluid; a casing 10 in which the valve 11 works; pipes 12communicating between the valve casing 10 and the valve casings 3 ateach end; and

a reversing valve 58.

